+ We have come now to the end of August, and the new school year is upon us: some have already started school, others are soon to follow. If I were to ask all of you what is more important: what you learn in school, or what you do with what you learn – what would be your answer? There are pros and cons for each side being more important. It would seem to me that both are very important: and even equally so – we learn so that we can apply what we learn; we can only do successfully what we have learned well!
In the second reading today, St. James tells the Christian community to humbly welcome the word of God that has been planted in them – because it is not just simply an academic thing – facts, figures, dates – but it actually has the power to save their souls. There is no other word or lesson like it! But then once they hear these words: they are not to just sit there daydreaming: be doers of the word you have heard: put what you have heard into practice someway, somehow. Apply it! He tells them that their Christian religion is about hearing the need to help the poor; and to keep oneself unstained from the corruption and filth of the spirit of the world: and so he says: do these things: help the poor, keep yourself unstained, and you shall save your souls!
The first reading also spoke about "doing what you hear and have learned:" keep the commandments you have learned, not adding anything at all to them, nor taking anything away. God knew exactly what he was doing in giving them the way they were given: it is in his precise prescription of them that the power to save comes – not only to save our souls, but to save us and our nation from our enemies – even the enemies within!
Jesus says very much the same thing in the gospel passage: stop worrying about pots and pans, and dishes and the washing of hands: it is not what goes into your mouth that is evil, but rather what comes out: it seems you have learned the lessons about cleanliness backwards: it is what comes out of your mouth and what is in your actions that is a reflection of what is in your heart, that is truly evil: evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly! These are what defile; and these are what need to be eliminated by relearning the commandments of God in their entirety: for they have the power to save!
We pray today that all students this coming school year will remember that being a "doer" and not just a "hearer" of their school subjects is what education is all about: families can discuss at the supper table not just what was learned in school that day but how it can be applied! Encourage creativity! And of course this applies to us all each and every time we come to church – all throughout this school year and any other time: we must not just listen to the word of God in the Scriptures and the homilies; but we must also pray very hard to know how to apply what we have heard!
God gives us our whole lives long to learn and learn and learn, so that we can do and do and do all we can to help build his kingdom here on earth before it is reaches its completeness and perfection one day at the end of time!
Be a doer of the word, and not just a hearer!
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